Memories, Living and Breathing
by nathaniel.hp
Summary: It's not easy to let go of the past, especially the good times. Ron/Hermione, Ron/Remus


**Memories, Living and Breathing**

Hermione had just returned from Australia with her parents. Harry and Ginny were planning a get-together with friends and family at the Leaky Cauldron the following day and were busy sending out invitations. Ron found himself abandoned at the kitchen table, lost in his thoughts, unsure of how he felt about the whole situation.

Strange as it might sound, he felt he was falling in love with Remus. Yes, he was excited to see Hermione again, and she was, after all, one of his best friends. But this had nothing to do with Remus, with _him _and Remus. Hermione was his friend, Remus could well be his _boyfriend!_

Ron chuckled. Remus was anything but a boy. _Manfriend then, _Ron thought and smiled indulgently as his finger traced along a notch on the table. It still amazed him how just thinking of Remus made his heart swell. He pressed a hand to his belly to quiet the butterflies that his thoughts had awakened.



The Leaky Cauldron was noisy and packed, and it was brilliant. It almost felt like being back at the Three Broomsticks, except for a distinct lack of pretty barmaids. Still, it was a rare occasion that they all got together and Ron decided to make the most of it. He was already in the lead in the butterbeer drinking contest that Seamus had set up – not that it was terribly challenging.

He looked across the table at Hermione. She had a nice tan and looked relaxed, smiling at Dean who was talking animatedly, gesturing with his hands to reinforce his words. Ron felt his heart skip a beat from sheer happiness at seeing her alive and well and so much better than she had been when she left for Australia. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to walk over and hold her, rest his cheek on her hair and … just hold her.

Before Ron could dwell on that particular thought for too long, Seamus attracted his attention with a bottle of Firewhisky. _Finally, a proper challenge, _Ron thought.



The next morning Ron awoke as something tickled his nose. He frowned, feeling a headache pounding behind his eyes. Not quite awake, he moved carefully, ready to spoon around Remus's back and pull him close.

"Remus," he murmured groggily as he snaked his arm over the other's body, where he felt an unfamiliar softness. A grope or two confirmed Ron's suspicion: Remus had grown breasts!

_That doesn't make sense. _Ron squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to think past the headache. It wasn't until his hand's explorations were answered with a soft and very feminine moan that Ron pulled back as if burned and sat bolt upright. He quickly shielded his eyes from the harsh sunlight pouring through the blinds, but not before the image of a very naked Hermione had imprinted itself on his retinas.

"Fuck!" Ron swore, and jumped out of bed, frantically searching for his clothes. He stumbled out of the room, jeans only just pulled up past his arse and still undone, shirt clutched in his hand. Where the fuck was he?

Moving wasn't a terribly brilliant idea. Ron swayed slightly as he stopped, bracing himself against the wall, before he slid down to the floor. _Calm down,_ he tried to tell himself. _There's an explanation for all this. No good panicking just because you touched a tit. _He closed his eyes and drew a long, steadying breath, only to see Harry and Ginny beaming at him when he looked up again. He blinked. _Oh …_ He was looking at their wedding picture, which meant that he was at their house. Or at the Burrow. That last thought thankfully proved wrong when he took a proper look at his surrounding and established that he was indeed at Harry's._ Thank Merlin for small mercies,_ he thought. He didn't think he would have been able to handle one of his mother's lectures right now.

Ron leant his head back against the wall and tried to decide what to do next. He couldn't really just Floo to Remus's as they had arranged, not before he knew what had happened last night. And bugger if he could remember. He remembered being at the Cauldron, he thought he remembered Seamus tempting him with a bottle of Firewhisky. Why hadn't Remus been there? He would have been able to stop him, would have taken him home … Oh god, how was he going to explain? He'd have to; there was no way Harry and Ginny didn't know he'd shared a bed with Hermione last night, and it was only a matter of time before Remus found out. Shit! Ron felt even more wretched, if that was possible, as guilt began nagging him in tandem with the ever-increasing headache.

Well, there was nothing for it. Things weren't going to solve themselves. Ron got up to have a piss. He had to start with something and the loo seemed a sensible place to start.

He went to search for Harry next, and after a Hangover Potion, a coffee and a brief recount of last night's events, decided to go home and talk to George. Of anyone, George would come up with a plan. Remus wouldn't expect him until later; there was still time to decide for a course of action.

In the end, he decided to send an owl. Cowardly perhaps, but Ron wasn't sure he could look Remus in the eye just yet. He felt like the world's biggest wanker as it was.

_Remus, _

_something_

_

* * *

_

_Remus,_

_I have to tell you something_

_

* * *

_

_Remus,_

_I'm sorry_

_

* * *

_

_Remus,_

_I won't be able to come around in the next couple of days. Things are busy at the shop. _

_I also need some time to think after last night, memories and all that._

_Love,_

_

* * *

_

_Remus,_

_I won't be able to come around in the next couple of days. Things are busy at the shop. _

_I also need some time to think after last night, memories and all that._

_Yours,_

_Ron_

Ron reread the letter. Okay, vague enough, he hoped.

_Dear Ron,_

_I understand. I'll be waiting __f__or you_

* * *

_Dear Ron,_

_I understand. I'll be waiting __to hear from you when things have quietened down a bit. _

_Don't forget that you have friends who share your memories. That is worth much more than you might think._

_I miss you._

* * *

_Dear Ron,_

_I understand. I'll be waiting __to hear from you when things have quietened down a bit. _

_Don't forget that you have friends who share your memories. That is worth much more than you might think._

_I look forward to hearing from you soon._

_Yours,_

_Remus_

_Friends who share your memories. _Remus had no idea how right he was. Ron's friends not only shared, but also re-enacted his memories. And that, Ron decided, definitely wasn't worth all the trouble it had caused.


End file.
